Breaking the Gender Bias Cycle

iStock_000003839476XSmall_1_.jpgby Liz O’Donnell (Boston)

Performance reviews are rarely pleasant. Even when the feedback is positive, the whole process always feels forced and awkward. Most managers are inadequately trained on how best to deliver a review, never mind how to mentor and monitor professional development.

Then there are those horrible forms to fill out. Three pages of multiple choice questions or sliding scale assessments followed by two blank lines for providing comments, does not help facilitate meaningful dialogue between the reviewer and the reviewee.

Now there is another reason for employees, particularly female employees, to dread the performance review, or talent management assessment, as it is referred to by human resource types. Catalyst, the organization that provides research, information, and advice about women at work, recently released a study “Cascading Gender Biases, Compounding Effects: An Assessment of Talent Management Systems.”

The data shows that gender biases and stereotypes can be “unconsciously embedded” into talent management systems. The “unconscious embedding” is not a lame excuse for bad behavior. In the case of talent management systems, biases can truly be unconsciously perpetuated through a viscous cycle starting with the development of the assessments.

Catalyst collected data from 110 corporations and firms representing 19 different industries and interviewed 30 talent management experts from 24 organizations. The organization found that most assessments are developed by, or with input from, senior management. And senior management is still predominantly male. When one demographic group influences the development process, the assessments are apt to heavily reflect the values of that group alone.

So the next step in the cycle is that because men typically outnumber women on leadership teams and often have the most input in developing talent management tools, employees interpret masculine stereotypes as an organization’s norms and values. Catalyst developed a list of stereotypically feminine attributes and stereotypically masculine attributes by reviewing research on gender-stereotypical behaviors of women and men, including its own 2005 study “Women “Take Care,” Men “Take Charge:” Stereotyping of U.S. Business Leaders Exposed.” Stereotypical male attributes include adjectives such as aggressive, assertive, competitive, commanding, forceful, dominant and stoic. Compare that with stereotypical female attributes such as caretaking, cheerful, collaborative, compassionate, feeling, nurturing and tender, and you can see how biases continue to perpetuate.

Let’s continue with the viscous cycle. In an organization that values a stereotypical male work style, women are less likely to score well on an assessment. As a result, fewer women are pegged for promotions or leadership development programs. The mix at the top doesn’t change, and the cycle continues.

Gender bias in talent management assessment tools is about more than fairness. It is business critical. The report cautions that “consistent evidence shows that teams with diverse leadership outperform those with less diversity.” To help organizations ensure they are developing talent in order to prosper as businesses, Catalyst offers the following recommendations:

  • Develop programs that target the needs of each business unit while examining the various forms of gender stereotyping.

  • Educate leaders about how stereotypes can negatively influence job assignments and performance appraisals.

  • Train employees at all levels to recognize effective gender-neutral leadership characteristics.

  • Review practices from other companies and create strategies that increase development and advancement opportunities for women.

  • Create opportunities for senior leaders and employees to engage in talent management dialogues.

  • Evaluate the presence of gender-stereotypic language in talent management systems.

Editor’s note: This was one of several topcs addressed in the breakout sessions at the Catalayst Awards Conference on Tuesday, March 31st. Stay tuned over the next few weeks for more in-depth coverage of the winners and the hot issues from the conference.

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